Brad Halsey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brad Halsey |
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Halsey in 2006
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: February 14, 1981 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Died: October 31, 2014 (aged 33) New Braunfels, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 19, 2004, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2006, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 14–19 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.84 | ||
| Strikeouts | 160 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Bradford Alexander Halsey (born February 14, 1981 – died October 31, 2014) was a talented American baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Oakland Athletics.
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Brad Halsey's Early Baseball Days
Brad Halsey went to Westfield High School in Houston, Texas. He then attended Hill College. Later, he enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. There, he was the main starting pitcher for the Texas Longhorn baseball team.
In 2001, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A's. This team is part of the Cape Cod Baseball League. With Halsey as a key player, the Longhorns won the 2002 College World Series. This was a big achievement for the team.
Playing Professional Baseball
New York Yankees (2002–2004)
The New York Yankees chose Halsey in the eighth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed with the Yankees and received a $130,000 bonus. In 2004, Halsey spent most of his time with the Columbus Clippers. This team is part of the Class AAA International League.
He had a great record of 11 wins and 4 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.63 over 144 innings. He also had many strikeouts compared to walks. Opponents did not hit well against him.
The Yankees added him to their main pitching team on June 19, 2004. He won his first game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his seven starts and one relief appearance, Halsey finished with a 1–3 record. He had 25 strikeouts and a 6.47 ERA in 32 innings.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2005)
Before the 2005 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a big trade. They traded pitcher Randy Johnson to the Yankees. This was a three-team deal that also included the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Arizona received Halsey, pitcher Javier Vázquez, and catcher Dioner Navarro from New York. Then, they sent Navarro and three minor league players to the Dodgers. In return, they got outfielder Shawn Green. In 2005, Halsey had a record of 8 wins and 10 losses with the Diamondbacks.
Oakland Athletics (2006–2008)
On March 26, 2006, the Diamondbacks traded Halsey to the Oakland Athletics. They received Juan Cruz in return. Halsey started the season as a middle relief pitcher for the Athletics. In May, he became a starting pitcher. This happened because other starters like Esteban Loaiza and Rich Harden were injured.
Halsey made six starts, with a record of 1 win and 2 losses. His ERA was 5.63. Opponents hit well against him during this time. On May 20, 2006, Halsey threw a pitch to Barry Bonds. Bonds hit this pitch for his 714th home run. This tied him with Babe Ruth for second place all-time. Halsey later joked about special balls used for Bonds' at-bats.
When Loaiza returned, Halsey went back to middle relief in June. By mid-August, his record was 3 wins and 3 losses, with a 4.50 ERA. On August 10, Halsey was sent to Oakland's Triple-A team in Sacramento. He was called back up on August 22. The A's needed another starter for a series of games.
He finished the year pitching in middle relief. His final stats for the year were 5 wins and 4 losses, with a 4.67 ERA. Halsey did not play in the playoffs for Oakland. They had another left-handed pitcher, Joe Kennedy.
Halsey hoped to be a starting pitcher in 2007. However, he did not pitch well during spring training. He had 0 wins and 3 losses with a 6.75 ERA. He lost the starting spot to Kennedy. On April 1, Halsey was sent to Sacramento again. On April 21, 2007, Halsey was held out of his start. This was in case he was needed to start for Rich Harden.
Harden could not pitch, but the A's chose Dallas Braden instead of Halsey. Halsey later had surgery on July 12, 2007. He had a torn labrum in his shoulder repaired. He was placed on the disabled list for a long time. The Athletics released Halsey in March 2008.
Later Career
Halsey signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in March 2009. The Dodgers released him at the end of spring training. He then signed with the Long Island Ducks. This team is part of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
In June 2009, Halsey was not seen for six days. His mother reported him missing. He reappeared the next day. With a 5.86 ERA in 11 starts, the Ducks released Halsey.
In 2010, he pitched for the Gary SouthShore RailCats. This team was in the independent Northern League. Halsey agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees in 2011. They sent him to the Trenton Thunder. This team is in the Class AA Eastern League. He pitched 31 and one-third innings for Trenton. He was released after that season.
How He Pitched
Halsey threw a fastball that was usually between 87 and 90 miles per hour. But his best pitches were a good slider and a tricky changeup. These pitches helped him get batters out.
Later Life
Halsey died on October 31, 2014, near his home in New Braunfels, Texas. He was 33 years old. His injuries were caused by a fall from a 100-foot cliff. His body was found below the cliff. The autopsy showed he died from blunt force injuries from the fall. The local authorities believe the fall was accidental.
Images for kids
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Halsey in 2006
